1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relates to the field of instrumentation, and more specifically, to accessories for photographic equipment.
2. Description of Related Art
Photographic or imaging equipment have become popular thanks to advances in imaging devices and electronic components. For example, video cameras have become lighter, smaller, and have higher resolutions. However, video recording or taking pictures of scenes, activities, or people has a number of problems. First, the person who does the recording or taking the picture may not be in the picture or the movie. Second, it may be difficult to point the camera at a particular viewing angle (e.g., above pointing downward).
Existing techniques include mounting the camera on a tripod or on some mechanically stable platform, or asking another person to control the camera. These techniques have a number of drawbacks. Leaving the camera on a fixed location like a tripod or a platform does not capture a moving scene or activities. People may get out of the field of view of the camera or moving away. Furthermore, there may not be space or mechanically stable platform. There may not be people around to ask for assistance and they may not be trustworthy. It is well known that travelers in foreign countries are easy targets for thefts or robberies.